SAN YSIDROSAN YSIDRO — If high school football had a Rookie of the Year Award, it’d go to Southwest-San Diego High School’s Justice Pigee.
The senior quarterback threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third to give the Raiders their third consecutive victory, downing host San Ysidro 26-19 Friday night in the Metro Pacific League opener for both teams.
“This game means a lot to me, especially considering this is my first year playing football,” said Pigee, who transferred in from Texas this season. “My mom is a social worker so we’ve been moving around all the time.”
Southwest (5-2, overall, 1-0 Metro Pacific) came into the game in a very familiar situation. A year ago, the Raiders also entered into league play with a 4-2 record only to lose all four league games. San Ysidro won last year’s matchup, 12-6.
It was obvious Pigee, who rushed 15 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown and completed 10 of 13 es for 103 yards and two scores, makes a big difference.
On the third play from scrimmage, he kept the ball around the right side and hit the afterburners, splitting a couple defenders in the secondary on the way to a 56-yard touchdown. .
“I saw a huge seam open up and I said to myself, ‘OK, if they’re going to give it to me … ‘“ said Pigee.
Midway through the opening quarter, a fumble recovery by Sonny Romero gave the Raiders the ball at the San Ysidro 32. Four plays later, Pigee did it with his arm, finding Andrew Moreno open for an 18-yard touchdown and a 12-0 lead.
“I knew he’d be open,” explained Pigee. “I just needed to put it in the spot he likes.”
Another fumble recovery got the Raiders on the board again.
A bad snap on a punt ended up in the hands of senior linebacker Issak Tapia, who raced 23 yards for the score on the second play of the second quarter.
San Ysidro answered back this time. A 41-yard run by Omar Vargas set up Nathan Lintag’s 18-yard TD with 9:00 before half to cut the lead to 19-7.
Pigee stayed with the ing game. On the next drive he hit Deshawn Robinson for a 10 yard gain, and Moreno for another 28 yard completion. He wrapped up the drive with a 17-yard touchdown toMax Paez, and Southwest led 26-7 just before halftime.
San Ysidro (1-6 overall, 0-1) turned things around impressively in the second half behind the running of Vargas and play of quarterback Diego Garcia.
Vargas exploded for a 56-yard touchdown on the second play of the half to get the gap to 26-13.
Vargas grabbed 126 of his game high 207 yards in the second half. His 16-yard pick-up to put him over the 200 mark set up the game’s final score, a 17-yard from Garcia to Edwin Saldivar with 10 seconds left to play.
Garcia rushed for another 91 yards on 12 carries and completed 5 of 16 es for another 58 yards.
Southwest-San Diego 26, San Ysidro 19
Southwest-San Diego – 12 14 0 0 – 26
San Ysidro – 0 7 6 6 – 19
SW — Pigee 56 run (kick failed)
SW — Moreno 18 from Pigee (Run failed)
SW — Tapia 23 fumble return (Rosales kick)
SY — Lintag 18 run (Martinez kick)
SW — Paez 17 from Pigee (Rosales kick)
SY — Vargas 56 run (kick failed)
